The present invention relates generally to diplexers, and more particularly to a microwave diplexer that simultaneously processes polarized energy at different transmit and receive frequencies.
It is desirable to design antenna systems for use in spacecraft applications in a manner that limits the size and weight thereof. To accomplish this, it is very desirable to design such systems so that a single set of antenna feed horns may be used in instances where energy is transmitted at one frequency and received on another. This technique is known as diplexing, and is commonly done in the art. However, if circularly polarized energy is employed in the system, for example, conventional diplexing approaches tend to become larger and heavier than are generally acceptable. Consequently, it would be an improvement in the art to have a diplexer that permits the simultaneously processing of polarized energy at different transmit and receive frequencies while maintaining the polarization characteristics of the energy and which provides for the use of a single antenna feedhorn at both transmit and receive frequencies.